Alarm apparatus



Dec. 7,'1937. B GOLDSTONE 2,101,059

ALARM APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1933 l 51 les 27o bo 58x@ 56 @of L92 66x @z 68/ G4 70 1 lL9!" /T6 TZ INVENTOR uf BENJAMIN GoLDsToNE MM@ @Mlm f ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1937 uNiTEo STATES ,man

PATENT orma 6 Claims.

many cases, these installations are for small shopkeepers to Whom the charges for such maintenance, if paid in a lump sum, appear inordinately large. As a matter of fact, such service charges generally are easily reduced in terms to payment by a very small coin for service for one day. To provide the force necessary to make co1- lections on so frequent a schedule would eliminate the possibility of operation at any such low ligure. On the other hand, it is a Well-known psychological fact that persons cannot be taught themselves to collect and retain the coins at such intervals to pay them over at the next round of the collector.

It is an objectief the invention, in order to enlarge the number of possible users for such systems, to provide, as an integral part of a system, means to perform automatically the functions of a collector by making operation of the apparatus for alarm purposes impossible unless that collection function has first been satised. The storekeeper may make the system operative for a. single continuous time period merely, and

only, by depositing a coin ci small value in a predetermined relationship to the apparatus.

Apparatus for such purposes requires, rst, that, either after the coin has been inserted, or by the deposit of the coin, switching on and on of one or more of the circuits involved in auch apparatus may be, or is, effected; that, once the circuit has thus been made effective, the return of the circuit to a condition of alarm-making inoperativeness or similar condition will make impossible again to energize the circuit unless the initial operation of inserting a coin has been repeated. after the deposit of a coin, it can remain so only continuously; deenergization of the circuit requires the repetition of all the steps including the deposit ci the coin to energize the system again.

Secondly, it is requisite that tampering with the mechanism will not eiiect defeat either of the coin-controlled locking arrangement which limits the apparatus to but a single complete cycle of operation from a deenergized state to energized, and then again to the deenergized, state-for the deposit of each coin, or of the alarm apparatus Once the circuit has been energized,.

(C1. isi- 155) itself. Thirdly, it is necessary to eliminate from the operation of such apparatus all technical details so that the user will require no high degree of mechanical intelligence to operate it.

In one oiV its applications, apparatus embodying the invention may include a switch to be actuated by an element of a lock. The lock requires a definite key to free the element. But further than this, even though the proper key be had, the key-actuated member, for purposes of this invention, normally is restrainedirom movement unless and until a coin hasv been deposited in a slot provided for that purpose and certain other operations dependent upon the coin then effected. Not until these preliminary steps have been completed may the key-actuated member be free to energize the apparatus.

. In one type `of cylinder lock control, a coinreceiving slot, a slide and a guide therefor are provided. The slide engages the coin deposited in the slot and'impels it down along the guide. Normally, if no coin were in the guide, the slide would be stopped by'a dog extending into the guide. With a coin inserted into the guide and positioned between the dog and the slide moving toward the dog, the dog will be cammed out of the path of the slide which then continues its movement past the dog. This additional movement of the slide makes it operative to engage a link and through it, to make ineffective the means which locks the key-actuated member against effectiveness.v During the additional downward movement of the released slide, a portion of the locking means is latched to prevent itsfreturn to locking position even if the slide be released and permitted to return to normal position.

,With the locking means inoperative, the keyactuated member may be made effective to close a switch in one or more of the circuits of the alarm apparatus. Simultaneously that the circuit is closed, release of the latched locking means occurs. The locking means now moves into a position relative to the member where it remains until the member is actuated to bring the switch tooff position. On arriving at the latter position, the means will reengage the member and again retain it against actuation to make the switch effective. Therefore, for the deposit of a single coin, the detailed steps would complete the cycle of apparatus operation, closing the circuit, and then reopening it.

'Ille guide is designed to discharge its coins into a chamber, access to which is provided through an opening, normally kept closed, in the front portion of the casing. To retain the wall in posi- CII tion, there may be used locking means of some character such as includes a cylinder extending within the chamber. To facilitate handling the coins for collection and to insure against petty thefts, the chamber may have associated therewith a coin container fitting snugly in the chamlber so that a coin-receiving slot in the container is located properly with relation to the chute of the guide. This container has a recess formed in a wall thereof, within which, in the assembled relation, the lock cylinder will be housed. Advantage is taken, in this: construction, to locate the coin-receiving slot of the container immediately over the wall of the recess. The dimensions of the container at this point are then so adiusted that coins within the container may not, merely by tipping the container, be positioned to slide, or be slid, out of the slot. The space between the wall having the slot and the inner wall of the recess is adjusted to be smaller than the diameter of such coins as are intended for use in this particular apparatus.

It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus, subjected to coin-control in its operation, which does not require the interposition of mechanical means to make possible the actuation of the alarm circuit, this actuation taking place automatically upon the deposit in the apparatus 0f a coin.

Other objects of this invention will hereinafter be set forth, or will be apparent from the description and the drawing, in which are illustrated embodiments of apparatus for carrying out the invention.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction or arrangement of parts, or to any particular application of such construction, or to any specific manner of use, o-r to any of various details thereof herein shown and described, as the same may be modified in various particulars or be applied in many varied relations without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, the practical embodiments herein illustrated and described showing some of various forms and modications in which the invention might be em.- bodied.

On the drawing, in which the same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout, and in which are disclosed preferred embodiments:

Fig. l is an elevational View of a coin-actuated switch control device, intended as an element of apparatus embodying the invention, as seen from the rear face of the unit with the cover plates removed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, illustrating the manner of association of the device with the front wall of an alarm element;

Fig. 3 is a diagram-matic view of an alarm circuit of which a device of this character, utilizing the invention, hasrbeen made a part; and

Fig. i is a .diagrammatic view of a modified arrangement of an alarm circuit by which it is automatically controlled by a coin.

lin, Fig. 3, an alarm circuit I0 is very simply illustrated; merely sufcient of a conventional circuit is illustrated to make clear one possible application of the invention. In this circuit, a battery i2 is shown as a power supply source. A lead lli from the power supply source is connected to one pole of a switch device, and here to prong iii of a. jack-switch I8. The other pole of the switch, here being prong 20, is connected by a conductor 22 to one section 24 of a protective circuit 26. Contact points 28 may be provided on the prongs while one of them', as prong I6, is formed or provided with a cam surface 3U. Surface 3Q is located to bear against a cam. 32, the resilience of prong i6 assuring this continued contact. Cam 32, has, in the peripheral surface with which carri` surface 3! contacts, a cut-away edge portion 34. When edge portion 34 and cam surface 3G register, the surface will bear against the peripheral edge of portion 34 and contact points 28 will be moved out of the engaged relation.

Upon rotating cam 32 until the edge portion 35 atthe greater radial distance comes into contact with surface 30, points 28 will be forced together against the resilience of the prongs.

he other terminal of section 24, by a conductor 3B, may be connected with solenoid 4U of a relay or drop 42. The other terminal of the solenoid, by a conductor 54, is connected, through the other section 46 of the protective circuit and a lead 48, to the opposite terminal of battery l2.

Drop 42 includes: an armature 5i) which tends normally to rest, by gravit upon a post 52.

Through leads 54 and 48, this post is connected to the battery. The armature, by a conductor 56, is connected to an alarm device 58, the other terminal of which, by conductors 6B and 22, makes connection with prong 25. Another conductor 52, connected through conductor 55 with armature 5i), is connected to solenoid 64 of relay 66, and then through conductor 58 to conductor 65. A conductor it connects conductor 62 with a post 'i2 against which, when solenoid 54 is energized, an armature lli attracted thereby will bear. The armature, by leads "i5 and 48 is energized from the battery.

The operation of this apparatus is simple. After cani 32 has been rotated to press points 28 together, current flows from'` the battery through section 24, solenoid lili, section 46 and back to the battery, energizing drop 42 suiciently to lift arinature 55 away from post 52 and to break that circuit. If interference with protective circuit 25 now occurs with consequent deenergization of solenoid 46, armature 5!! will fall upon post 52.

Current now flows from the battery through conductor 65, alarm device 58, conductor 56, armature 55, post 52, and leads 54 and 48 to the battery. At the same time, solenoid 54, connected in parallel with alarm device 58, will be energized to lift armature lil.

Even if the interference with the protective circuit should now be removed, or solenoid 42 be otherwise energized, still alarm device 58 would f continue to operate. Current would flow continuously through solenoid 54, keeping post 'l2 and armature lli continuously in contact, and supplying current for solenoid 54 and alarm device 58. Current ows from battery l2 through leads 48 and iii, armature lli, post i2, conductors Til, 52 and 55, alarm device 58, conductors 60 and 22, prong 25, contact points 28, prong i5 and lead i4 to the battery. To deenergize the alarm device and its holding circuit, it is necessary tobreak the circuit at points 28.

Cam 32 is controiled in its rotation by apparatus constructed so that, once the cam has been rotated to bring points 23 into contact, the cam can thereafter be operated only to release the contacted parts. Thereupon the cam, by suitable means, will be latched in that released position, and only upon the completion of certain other operations of the apparatus may the cam be again released for a repetition of. a similar cycle of steps. The apparatusv for this purpose may be housed in a casing 18 the front wall 80 ofV which has a bearing section 82 bored in the customary manner for the reception of a lock cylinder 84. Secured or otherwise carried by the cylinder at its inner end is a cam iinger 846. Cylinder and cam finger are intended to rotate asa single unit.

Secured with the cylinder and the cam'inger, and extending rearwardly substantially axially of the cylinder, is a shaft 88. It is shown extended beyond a back wall 98 of the casing which is secured to the'oasing by screws or the like. The shaft preferably extends into another casing of which wall 92 may be the front wall.- Casing 'i8 may be secured to wall 92 by fastening means engaged with both walls through openings 3 through wall 8D, which are made accessible only through chamber 96 and theopening 98' into that chamber through front wall 80. In such a l construction, within the latter casing may be arranged the relays and so forth, such as previously described in connection with, and any other mechanism of, the alarm apparatus.

At the free end of shaft 88 a shouldered portion |88 may be provided to receive cam 32, the shoulder being squared or otherwise arranged to prevent relative rotation of cam and shaft. The cam, in this case, not intended to be a portion of a circuit, may be of non-conducting material, such as bre. It is mounted on the shaft to dispose its peripheral surfaces with relation to switch I3 in the manner previously indicated. In the construction shown, switch i8 is located in the casing of which wall 92 forms a part. y

Pivoted on a suitable bearing pintle |02 extending from wall Bis a nger |04, dimensioned and arrangedrto extend directly beneath cam finger 86. A spring |06, coiled around pintle |62, tends to force the finger against cam finger 86, limiting its upward movement. In the o or non-circuit-closing position of cam 32, cam nger 86 will extend substantially directly downwardly. When so extended, and if finger |04 be in its normal position, the cam linger will be seated within a notch |88, out in the top edge of finger |84.

Finger IM has a bearing portion IIII for the reception of a pin |I2 with which a slotted link lill is pivot-ally engaged. This link depends from portion llil so that its slot IIB may be engaged over a pin IIS, extending from a. slide |23. The slide is retained in a guide |22 which may, if desired, be formed as an integral part of the cas- `ing. Furthermore, the slide is cut away at |24.,

Ya space of sutlicientV depth to receive between slide and guide a coin |28 of a proper denomina- This coin, when so deposited and` inserted through an opening |38 in front wall 8B, will abut against the face of cut-out portion |24 and then descendl through the chute between guide and slide to be brought to a halt by an inwardly projecting finger |32 of a dog |34.

The slide includes an extending wall |36 the inner face of which forms a continuation of the face of cut-out portion |24. This face rides over the top face of nger |32 as the slide moves, the movement of the slidealong the guide normally being limited by the engagement` against finger 32 of an edge |38 at the junction of wall |36 with the body of the slide containing cut-out portion |24. This nger is maintained extending into the guide by a leaf spring |48, the dog being limited in its inward movement by engagement with a wall I42dening the guide, of a lug |44 formed as a part of the dog.

When a coin is inserted in the guide, the wall of cut-out portion |24, engaging against the coin, will, when the slide is moved downwardly, force the coin against finger |32. A cam surface |46 at the upper edge of the finger will cooperate With the rounded contouring of coin |23 to cam nger |32 out of the guide and out of the path of the slide. Continued downward movement of the slide will bring pin I I8 into engagement with the bottom extremity of slot IIE, to drive link I i4 and its related finger |84 downwardly.

Finger |04 at its free end |48 may have a pointed formation against which the edge I5!! of an L-shaped arm |52 normally may bear. This arm, pivoted upon a post |54, may be driven by a spring l56, coiled around post |54, to force the arm against free end |48. When the slide has been permitted the downward movement just described, free end IGS will be moved to such position that a notch |58 will be snapped into engagement with it. Such engagement will re tainthe free end locked against upward movement.

In order to effect the necessary downward movement of the slide, a lever |60, pivotcd on a post |62 extending from the casing Wall, extends through a slot |64 in side Wall |66 of the casing.' By means of a slot |68, the lever has loose engagement with pin H8. A spring normally forces the lever to raise the slide to a position whereit would be inoperative to retain the linger depressed.

Once a coin has been moved downwardly past the dog, and the free end of the nger has been engaged with notch |58, lever |60 may be released and permitted to return to its normal position. Now, a key inserted into the lock cylinder may be used to rotate shaft 88, and with it, the cam nger at itsv end. The prongs of the jack-switch are thus brought together and the circuit completed. But, as this function of the apparatus is effected, there also results liberation from engagement within notch |58 of free end |48 so that the finger may rise, under the action of its spring, up against cam finger 86. Cam linger 86, on its rotation, engages with the free end |12 of arm |52. Movement of the shaft to the "on position will, therefore, release finger |84 from engagement within notch |58, and thus permit the finger to rise and be in a position where the return of the shaft to the offl position will cause interlockingof cam finger 86 within notch |88. Shaft 88 may be limited in its rotation by engagement of cam finger. 86 with a shoulder |13 on bearing section 82 so that continuous rotation of the shaft will not be possible.

Guide |22, below linger |32, forms a coin chute which, together with the slide, guides the coin so that it will fall in a denite plane. Below the chute is chamber 96 into which the coins normally would fall. This chamber is accessible through opening 38 through wall Sii. The opening may be closed by a removable wall portion |14', the wall portion having a pair of inwardly directed lugs |76 for engagement beneath and against the bottom edge H8 and rear face |88, respectively, of front Wall 86. A projection |82 from the bottom wall of the casing is intended to be engaged by a lug |36 secured to a lool: cylinder |8:` carried in a` lock cylinder bearing portion |88, similar in construction to that for cylinder 84. The key to operate cylinder |86, is,

likewise, a means for removing wall |14 whenever access to the chamber is desired.

In order to facilitate the collection of coins discharged into the chamber and also to protect the company supervising the operation of such apparatus against frauds on the part of its ernployees, the chamber is adapted to receive a container |95. This container is retained in positicn by its engagement with certain portions of the chamber walls and of a recessed wall portion E52, thereof over and around bearing portion E88. Wall |94 of the container is cut away to provide recesses |36 for accommodating lugs l In this manner, the container and the chamber snugly are related to assure a definite relation of certain elements of each when the apparatus is completely assembled.

In removing wall portion |74 when container E99 is in position, lug |84 may not be capable of complete rotation, since, with the snug relationship of the parts, the free end of lug |84 may engage with the wall of the recess and practically prevent complete removal of the wall from the chamber. For this reason, the edges of the lug are squared off, as shown at |98, so that, by partially moving the lug to the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 1, the lug end will be free of the top surface of projection |82, and the wall may be moved outwardly without interference between lug |84 and the walls of recessed portion |92.

The container includes also a removable wall 295. This wall may be constructed to be retained assembled by inserting into openings 202 in the bcttom of the container a pair of nubs 204 carried upon projections from the wall. A pair of lugs 2t@ on the wall, cooperating with a cut-out 2523 in bottom ZID, retain the wall against inward movement as does also the engagement of lugs 255 against the faces of the edges of bottom, and the wall against the top and side walls.

A pair of lugs 2| 2, extending upwardly from top wall 2|4 of the container and a projection 2l6 from the front wall are intended to cooperate so that openings 2 i3 in each of them may be aligned to provide a passage through which a sealing wire 226 may be inserted. A seal, applied to such wire at the main ofce, would prevent tampering and would be intended to be severed only when the container was returned tc the main oflice for the removal of its contents.

Within the container, it is to be noted, walls 222 of the recessed wall portion are related to slot 224 through which coins from the chute pass through the top wall into the container so that coins may not be positioned flat upon the inner face of wall 994. In such position, they might be removed from the container through the slot. To eliminate this possibility, the inner face of wall |94, immediately above walls 222, may be provided with a ridged formation 226 extending upwardly su'liciently toward the slot so that no coin, while extending into the slot, could possibly arrange itself flat against wall E94. In this manner, the possibility of removal of coins by employee is lowered.

As shown inFig. 4, coin control of aparatus of this type may be embodied in apparatus wherein the deposit of the coin initiates operation of the alarm apparatus automatically, and without the interference or intervention of mechanical elements. For this purpose, only the wall 22S of a coin-receiving casing is illustrated. Through a slot 230 in this wall, the coin is inserted and is received in a guide 232. This guide preferably is downwardly tilted so that the coin would tend to travel downwardly to a proper depository. Also, the arrangement of the slot and the construction of the guide is such that the coin continuously will remain in contact with two portions of that guide.

The guide, as seen from the drawing, is made up of an angular frame 234 having a longer arm 236. At the upper end of this arm, there is applied a bevelled piece 238 of insulating material and at the outer face of this insulating material is a metal strip 240. Electrical connections are made to the frame and to the strip. As shown diagrammatically, the power source, such as battery 242, may have one of its terminals connected by a conductor 244 to the frame. The strip, by a conductor 246, is connected to the solenoid 248 of a relay 250, theY other terminal of the solenoid being connected, by a conductor 252, to a break switch 254, that is, a switch which normally remains closed, but, by suitable means, may be operated to open the circuit. A conductor 256 returns from this switch to the battery.

When a coin is deposited in slot 230 and metallically connects strip and frame, relay 256 will be energized, causing lifting of armature 265. Current will now flow from the battery through conductor 258 to armature 260, post 262 against which the armature is lifted by the action of the solenoid, conductors 264 and 246, solenoid 248, conductor 252, switch 254, and conductor 256 to the battery. Solenoid 248 thereby remains constantly energized as long as switch 254 remains closed.

With this constant energization of the solenoid, current will flow from point 26B through conductor 263, section 21D of a protective circuit 212, conductor 214, solenoid 276 of drop 218, then by a conductor 280 back through the other section 232 of the protective circuit and through conductors 284 and 256 to the battery. Armature 285 is thus lifted away from its post 288 to eliminate possibility of energizing the circuit of alarm device 290. The circuit of this device and its holding relay 292 is substantially that of device 58 and relay 66 shown in Fig. 3, except that power is derived through contact of armature 260 and post 262.

In order to release this apparatus, it is necessary to open switch 254 which may be made up as a jack-switch with a key-operated shaft similar to shaft 88. The path of the coin, in moving down through the chute provided by frame 234, may be made long enough to assure energization of solenoid 248 for a sunicient period to assure setting of drop 218 for continued functioning. Also, the chute may be designed to discard coins other than those necessary for operation of the apparatus. For instance, since the common penny and dime are similar in diameter to the nickel, the chute could discard them through proper openings in advance of the point where contact is made with the metal strip.

Many other changes could be effected in the particular apparatus designed, and in the methods of operation setu forth, and in the specific details thereof, without substantially departing from the invention intended to be defined in the claims, the specic description herein merely illustrating operative embodiments carrying out the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In combination with a rotary circuit-controlling device, an auxiliary governing device for the circuit-controlling device, and means to insurethat the circuit-controlling device effect but a single completed cycle of operation for each actuation of the governing device, the insuring means including a pivoted arm normally held in contact with the circuit-controlling device, cooperating means including a notch on the arm and a lug on the circuit-controlling device for engaging the notch to prevent rotation of the circuit-controlling device, a pivoted finger functioning with the arm to make the co-operating means ineffective on actuation of the auxiliary governing device to pivot the arm out of contact with the circuit-controlling device, the finger having a lug extending into the path of the lug, the lug, on rotation of the circuit-controlling device, destroying the conjoint functioning of the arm and the ringer to release the arm for movement into contact with the circuit-controlling device again.

2. n combination with a rotary circuit-controlling device, an auxiliary governing device for the circuit-controlling device, and means to insure that the circuit-controlling device eiect but a single completed cycle of operation for each actuation of the governing device, the insuring means including a pivoted arm normally held in contact with the circuit-controlling device, cooperating means including a notch on the arm and a lug on the circuit-controlling device for engaging the notch to prevent rotation of the circuit-controlling device, a pivoted finger functioning with the arm to make the co-operating means ineffective on actuation of the auxiliary governing device to pivot the arm out of contact with the circuit-controlling device, the ringer having a lug extending into the path of the lug, the lug, on rotation of the circuit-controlling device, destroying the conjoint functioning of the arm and the iinger to release the arm for movement into contact with the circuit-controlling device again, the zo-operating means being constructed so that rotation of the circuit-controlling device to return to the initial position of the cycle will again bring such co-operating means into operation again to prevent operation of the circuit-controlling means.

3. For an alarm apparatus including a protective circuit, an alarm-indicating device, and means for energizing the device including a circuit, means for controlling operationV of the apparatus by closing or opening one of the circuits, the controlling means including an Velectric switch, means for moving the switch to make the apparatus operative, means for locking` the switch-moving means againstmovement including an arm and means on the switch-moving means and the arm cooperating when the arm and switch-moving means are in a predetermined relation to each other to prevent actuation of the switch-moving means, a lug for engaging the arm to make the cooperating means on the switch-moving means and the arm inoperative for actuation-preventing purposes and to latch the arm in position to continue the cooperating means inoperative, the switch-moving means, immediately that it is actuated after being unlatched, releasing the actuation-preventing means to make the means again effective for actuation-preventing purposes, a link carried by the arm, and means for engaging the link to move the arm out of cooperating relation to the switchmoving means.

4. For an alarm apparatus including a protective circuit, an alarm-indicating device, and means for energizing the Vdevice including a cira lug for engaging the arm to make the cooperating means on the switch-moving means and the arm inoperative for actuation-preventing purposes and to latch the arm in position to continue the cooperating means in inoperative condition, theV switch-moving means, immediately that it is actuated after being unlatched, releasing the actuation-preventing means for actuation preventing purposes, a link carried by the arm, and means permitted limited reciprocating movement relative to, but beyond one limit of such movement engaging with, the link to move the arm out of cooperating relation to the switchnoving means and into engagement with the 5. For an alarm apparatus including a protective circuit, an alarm-indicating device, and means for energizing the device including a circuit, means for controlling operation of the apparatus by closing or opening one of the circuits, the controlling means including an electric switch, means for moving the switch to make the apparatus operativegmeans for locking the switch-moving means against movement including an arm and means on the switch-moving means and the arm cooperating when the arm and switch-moving means are in a predetermined relation to each other to prevent actuation of the switch-moving means to circuit-closing position, a lug for engaging the arm to make the cooperating means on the switch-moving means and the arm inoperative for actuation-preventing purposes and to latch the arm in position to con- Y tinue the cooperating means in inoperative ccndition, the switch-moving means, immediately that it is actuated after being unlatched, releasing the actuation-preventing means, a link carried by the arm, means permitted limited reciprocating movement relative to, but beyond one limit of such movement engaging with, the link to move the arm out of cooperating relation to the switch-moving means and into engagement With the lug, and releasable means for limiting movement of the link-engaging means to prevent its engagement with the link.

6. For alarm apparatus including a protective circuit, an alarm circuit, and means to make the alarm circuit effective When interference with the protective circuit occurs, a switch control for one of the circuits, a rotatable member for governing operation of the switch, an arm, means onrthe arm and the member normally brought into cooperation to prevent rotation or the member, a guide, a slide in the guide, a link extending between the arm and the slide so that, on predetermined movement of the slide, the link will move the arm out of cooperative relation to the member, and a releasable stop extending into the guide and into the path of the slide to limit movement of the slide so that it will not aiTect the position of the arm.

BENJAMIN GOLDSTONE. 

